GROUP glory finally came the way of David "Dandy" Nicholls in his own right at Newmarket on Thursday last.

The ebullient Sessay handler sent out the one-two in the Group 1 July Cup as Continent (Darryll Holland) beat Bahamian Pirate (Richard Hughes) by just half a length.

Both belong to Edward St George's Lucayan Stud, for whom Nicholls sent out the one-two the previous day with Brave Burt and Awake. Each of these scored again this week, Brave Burt landing an Ascot sprint and Awake romping home at the Curragh on Sunday.

All told, eight wins came Dandy's way in an amazing week. The July Cup was his first solo Group success, but we all remember when he shared the spoils at York five years back when Ya Malak dead-heated with Coastal Bluff.

At Newmarket last Thursday, a similar dead heat in the Bunbury Cup saw one winner thrown out and James Bethell's Mine land spoils. Capricho, who passed the post jointly with the Middleham raider, had not carried the weight cloth allocated and was disqualified.

Richard Fahey had a weekend to remember. He won the special afternoon race at Beverley and met the Queen, in whose honour the ladies' amateur event was held, as King's Crest was partnered by Serena Brotherton.

Next day at York, he sent out the first northern-trained winner of the John Smith's Cup since Mr Confusion ten years ago when Vintage Premium fought his way to score under Paul Hanagan.

Micky Hammond has returned to training after a break and last week had his 500th training win at Market Rasen. Andy Crook, replaced by his former boss, has moved to John Weymes' top yard at Coverham.

Weymes and neighbour Jedd O'Keeffe have been firing again.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Thursday last week. - Newmarket: Continent (trained by David Nicholls, at Sessay; owned by Lucayan Stud), ridden by Darryll Holland; Mine (James Bethell, Middleham; M J Dawson), Kieren Fallon.

Southwell AW: Wahoo Sam (David Barron, Maunby; C A Washbourn), Dean McKeown; Noble Locks (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; Paul J Dixon), Joan Flynn.

Doncaster: Mr Fortywinks (Brian Ellison, Norton; Hb, Miss Nuala Cassidy), Miss Lorraine Ellison; Wilful (Mark Johnston, Middleham; Hb, Sheikh Mohammed), Joe Fanning; Locombe Hill (D Nicholls; David Faulkner), J Fanning.

Fri. - York: Tommy Smith (John Wainwright, Kennythorpe; T W Heseltine), Darren Williams; Bourgeois (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; C H Stevens), Richard Quinn; Bourbonnais (M Johnston; Sheikh Mohammed), J Fanning.

Wolverhampton AW: Yorkshire Blue (Richard Whitaker, Scarcroft; The PBT Group), Gary Hind; Supreme Silence (Jedd O'Keeffe, Coverham; Wetherby Racing Bureau 50), David Kinsella.

Beverley: King's Crest (Richard Fahey, Butterwick; Seamus Farrey & Partners), Miss Serena Brotherton; Iloveturtle (M Johnston; R H A Smith & Mrs L Boggs), Paul Doe; Catch The Cat (J Wainwright; T W Heseltine), Nicky Mackay; Kentucky Blue (T Easterby; C H Stevens), Ted Durcan; Almost Twilight (M Johnston; Maktoum Al Maktoum), Royston ffrench.

Chepstow*: Oriental Express (Chris Thornton, Middleham; Hb, Mrs C Wilson), D Kinsella; Inter Vision (Alan Dickman, Upper Helmsley; The Milan Partnership), George Duffield; Scott's View (M Johnston; Great Escape Partnership), K Fallon.

Hamilton: Magic Myth (T Easterby; C H Stevens), Paul Hanagan; Valdesco (George Moore, Middleham; Keith Nicholson), Lee Enstone; Double Ransom (Linda Stubbs, Malton; Tyme Partnership), Mark Fenton.

Sat. - York: Somnus (T Easterby; Hb, Legard Sidebottom & Sykes), Seb Sanders; Vintage Premium (R Fahey; J C Parsons), P Hanagan; Flak Jacket (D Nicholls; The Knavesmire Alliance), Adrian Nicholls; Patavium Princess (T Easterby; Middleham Park Racing XV), K Fallon.

Ascot: Brave Burt (D Nicholls; Lucayan Stud), K Dalgleish; Man D'Argent (M Johnston; Hb, Daniel A Couper), K Dalgleish; Blue Sky Thinking (Karl Burke, Coverham; Triple Trio Partnership), K Dalgleish.

Chester: Bishop's Court (Lynda Ramsden, Sandhutton; Hb., D R Brotherton), J Fanning; Golden Nun (T Easterby; T G & Mrs M E Holdcroft), Dale Gibson; Tancred Arms (David Barker, Scorton; Miss A Clift), D Kinsella.

Sun. - Curragh, Ireland: Awake (D Nicholls; Lucayan Stud & trainer), A Nicholls.

Haydock: Bodfari Komaite (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Bodfari Stud Ltd), Terry Lucas; Jelani (Andrew Turnell, Malton; Mrs Claire Hollowood), Fergal Lynch.

Mon. - Ayr: Western Diplomat (M Johnston; Abdulla Buhaleeba), Kevin Darley; Middleham Peacock (Patrick Haslam, Middleham; J Millican), L Enstone.

Tue. - Beverley: Platinum Duke (K Ryan; Platinum Racing Club Ltd), F Lynch; Prince Dimitri (D Nicholls; Lucayan Stud), T Hamilton; Freya's Dream (T Easterby; Sue Tindall & Hazel Lowrey), W Supple; Timing (T Easterby; Tines of Wigan), D Allan.

Brighton: Compton Arrow (D Nicholls; A Bloom), A Nicholls.

Wed. - Catterick: King Of Peru (D Nicholls; V Greaves), T Hamilton; Amused (L Ramsden; Hb, D Brotherton), F Lynch; Two Marks (M Johnston; Maktoum Al Maktoum), K Darley.

Sedgefield NH*: Avebury (G Moore; The Tupgill Partnership), Russ Garritty; Fatehalkhair (B Ellison; R Wagner), Vinny Keane.

Worcester NH*: Gaia Grey (Tom Tate, Tadcaster; Mrs Sylvia Clegg), Jason Maguire.